Whether it’s a free-wheeling lifestyle in a recreational vehicle or hitting the waves in a boat, many people dream of owning one of these great options for a home away or weekend getaway, but they fall short when it’s time to store the boat or RV when it’s not in use. This creates a great opportunity for the owner of prefab storage buildings because they can then rent that space. However, there are some considerations you’ll need to think about before offering this service to potential customers. Here’s a quick look at some of the details behind this process.
The Demand for Safe Storage of Boats and RVs in the United States
In 2017, the RV industry saw a huge increase of 17.2% in the delivery of new units, while new boat sales for 2018 saw a moderate 4% increase. As many of these vehicles’ owners are downsizing their homes from the sprawling castles of the past decade, they often lack the space for storing their new vehicle. This creates a great opportunity for storage building operators to provide that need for safe, quality storage. Because this is still a relatively new option in a growing market, the high demand for premium, dedicated storage space is a great way to grow your business.
Special Considerations for Adding That New Revenue Stream to Your Storage Business
Though the opportunity for adding RV and boat storage to your business provides you with new options, it’s also important to take into consideration a number of specific aspects of this type of business.
Site Selection
An average RV storage space is about 14′ wide by up to 40′ deep, which takes up 560 square feet, a lot of space in your rental facility. For this reason, an average boat and RV storage facility will take up between seven and ten acres. The more space you can provide to your tenants, the easier it will be for your tenants to navigate that space with large, difficult-to-maneuver vehicles. This will both lower the chance that your prefabricated storage buildings will be damaged and improve the overall customer experience.
Site Design
Because boats and RVs tend to have higher, larger profiles, site design is vital to your facility’s success, with ease of access being kept at the forefront of the planning process. Keeping entrances and approaches long enough for a few vehicles that are waiting to enter helps prevent traffic backups. Along with this, having wide drive aisles make it easier for vehicles to get around each other. A 50-foot drive aisle is recommended for fully-enclosed structures and a 45-foot aisle for canopies that are constructed at an angle.
Open Storage
Open storage can improve your overall profitability, as you can reconfigure the space to suit your customer’s needs. It provides the option for customers to simply drop off their vehicle in your space, providing some level of security and easy access for moving the vehicle into and out of the space. However, it can leave vehicles open to potential damage, which reduces how much you’ll receive for rent.
Canopy/Roof-Only Storage
A canopy or roof-only storage option provides protection from the elements, but still has the benefit of flexible space, allowing you to gain better profitability. You’ll also be able to use narrower aisles than enclosed storage space while still being able to charge a higher rent on each space than open storage.
Enclosed Storage
Providing the highest level of protection and highest rents, enclosed storage is typically 14 feet wide and has a 12’x14′ roll-up door, with depths from 30′ to 45′. This will allow you to accommodate the highest vehicle profiles.
Ensure a Successful Boat & RV Storage Building Installation
Adding options for boat and RV storage buildings for your business will help you improve profitability by allowing you to take advantage of the growth in the market. However, this opportunity is only as good as your ability to deliver a quality structure that meets your customers’ needs. Instead of settling for a mini storage building that may or may not meet your needs, why not purchase your buildings from Storage Building Central? With over two decades of storage building experience, we can help you design the perfect building with our fast, nationwide delivery. Contact our experts on +1 (844) 315-3151 to get started!
